The Basics
Final Score: Detroit 18, Kennesaw State 11
Records: Detroit 9-6 (4-2 A-Sun), Kennesaw State 5-10 (3-4 A-Sun)
Location: Kennesaw, Ga. (Fifth Third Bank Stadium)
KENNESAW, Ga. (4/24/2016) -- The University of Detroit Mercy women's lacrosse team is back in the Atlantic Sun Championships for the fourth-straight year after a big second-half propelled the Titans to an 18-11 road win over Kennesaw State on Sunday afternoon.
Detroit improved to 4-2 in Atlantic Sun play, clinching a spot in the six-team conference tournament with two regular-season games remaining. The Titans are 9-6 overall, just one win off their school-record of 10, set last season.
The Titans used a big second half both offensively and defensively to pull away from the Owls down the stretch. Detroit out-scored Kennesaw State, 10-4, in the second half, using a 4-0 run to break an 8-8 tie and never relinquished the lead after that run.
Freshman
Kaitlyn Wandelt had team-highs of six goals and six draw controls. Her half-dozen draw controls broke the single-season school record of 52, which was held by Zaynib Hamze. She got the Titans started in the goal scoring column, scoring the first two Detroit markers of the game.
After KSU took a 4-3 lead early, Detroit responded with three straight goals. Senior
Kylie Birney scored a power play goal before sophomore
Jordyn Beam flicked home the ball off a great pass from freshman
Lexie Kinmond. Sophomore
Brianna Plester then scored her fifth goal of the year to give Detroit a 6-4 advantage.
Detroit would increase its lead to 8-5 on goals by sophomore
Jessica Snyder and Wandelt and the Titans would go on to lead at the halftime break, 8-7.
Kennesaw State scored the first goal of the second half to knot the game, 8-8, but Wandelt countered with three-straight goals to stake the Titans back out in front, 11-8. Classmate
Morgan Girardi followed with her first of the game as Detroit had its largest lead of the game at 12-8 with 21:36 left.
After a KSU goal, Detroit pushed its lead to 14-9 on goals by Girardi and senior
Michaela Schwartz. The Titans finished their second-half scoring barrage with four more markers -- two by Girardi, another from Schwartz and junior
Julie Castner's fourth goal of the season. In all, nine Titans found the back of the net.
Wandelt tied her career-high with six goals. It was eighth hat trick of the season. Girardi tallied her fifth hat trick of 2016. Birney and Schwartz each had multiple goals for Detroit, while Plester had three points (one goal, two assists). Wandelt led the team in caused turnovers with four, while Birney added three CT. Girardi had a team-high four ground balls, while freshman goalkeeper
Allison McDonough, sophomore
Emma Mucci and Wandelt each collected three ground balls.
Detroit doubled up KSU in shots, posting a 31-15 margin over the Owls. The Titans also had 16 caused turnovers which helped force KSU into 28 total turnovers. The Titans also had the advantage in free position chances (7-2) and ground balls (26-23).
After Sunday's games, Detroit sits in third place in the Atlantic Sun standings, tied with Furman at 4-2. The Titans can finish as high as No. 2 in the A-Sun standings depending on the outcome of the final weekend of the regular season. Detroit's next opponent, Old Dominion, is one game ahead of UDM at 5-1 in league play.
Titan News & Notes
• Wandelt entered the game tied for league lead in draw controls and now has a single-season, school-record 57.
• With her two goals on Sunday,
Kelsi Pritchard tied her career-high in points with 23.
• Wandelt also had six goals on the road at Furman earlier this season.
• With 47 goals this season, Wandelt moved into seventh all-time on the single-season list.
• Detroit's 16 caused turnovers and 28 turnovers for an opponent are season-highs.
• Detroit is 4-0 all-time against Kennesaw State.
• The Titans have won nine of their past 11 games overall and improved to 4-3 on the road.
Up Next
Detroit plays its final two home games at home, hosting Old Dominion on Friday, April 29 from Titan Field at 3 p.m. The regular-season finale is set for 1 p.m. Sunday, when the Titans welcome Howard to Detroit for Senior Day. Both games are set to be streamed on ESPN3 and the WatchESPN Applications.
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